BAGACH

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Source of image: www.nbrb.by	BAGACH Bagach (Minor, or the Second, Feast of Dormition) observed on September 21 (September 8, Old Style) is a festival to celebrate the end of the harvest which is related to the autumnal equinox. On that day in ancient times our pagan ancestors reviewed their hard farm labor during the summer, assessed harvested crop, and thanked Gods and Spirits for their assistance and intercession. With the adoption of Christianity they began to celebrate on September 21 (in the Orthodox Church) or September 8 (in the Catholic Church) the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin. In the 19th - early 20th century Bagach was celebrated by the entire rural community and was syncretic in nature. The main object symbolizing the feast was a seedlip filled up with grains of rye or wheat and a wax candle put into it. For this solemn occasion the first sheaf reaped at the harvest was threshed and a handful of the grain from each peasant homestead was taken. The seedlip with grain, known as Bagach, was kept by a certain householder under the icons in the sacred corner throughout the year. On the feast day, a priest was invited to conduct a public prayer, a candle was lighted and a procession round the homesteads started. To welcome Bagach, households laid a white-clothed table in the yard with seedlips containing rye, wheat, barley or other cereals. Once all homesteads were visited, Bagach was taken to the house of the next householder where it would stay for another year and, according to the Belarusian beliefs, bring wealth and luck to the dwellers. On that feast day, in many Belarusian villages they celebrated patron Saint's day and a held a fair. Relatives and friends from the neighborhood visited the fair, selling their agricultural products and using the proceeds to buy fabric, exchanging news, taking a rest, and enjoying themselves. A.I. Lakotka PhD (Architecture, History) Professor An octagonal star on the obverse symbolizes the annual cycle of festivals of the Belarusian folk calendar. In the context of used symbols each marked ray nationally represents one of the eight major Belarusian festivals (Kolyady, Maslenitsa (the Pancake Week), Vjalikdzen' (Easter), Troitsa (the Trinity Sunday), Kupalle, Spasy (the Saviour), Bagach and Dzedy) that correlate with the main phases of the Sun (winter and summer solstice, spring and autumn equinox) or are celebrated when the season change. Text from the official flyer “Bagach” of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus	Date : 02.08.2005 Metal :  Cu/Ni Diameter, mm :  33.00 Weight, g :  16.00 Mintage, St. :  5000 Minted by : CJSC "Lithuanian Mint", Vilnius, Lithuania Design : S.Zaskevich     Ebay-Statistic (Prices in Euro): Year Count Ave rage Min. Max. 2006 32 8,86 2,29 12,10 2007 28 10,65 4,50 34,24 2008 4 15,33 7,80 23,10 2009 3 25,43 18,40 39,00 2010 4 21,62 19,00 28,00 2011 1 19,36 19,36 19,36
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